Champix aka Chantix/Varenicline

pinnyoshea

Hey guys

jus popped in to say hello. Havnt been on in a good while. Stopped taking the champix a few weeks back. Dont think it was for me. Still off the cigs tho so that good and finding my concentration and motivation levels improved. Get back off those smokes poutbutton. You know you can do it. Read back over some of your earlier posts from when you initially quit, maybe it'll remind you how great it is to be off em. My finals are starting week after next, wish me luck.

DonnieL

Hey Pinnyoshea, good to hear from you again. Glad to hear that your still off the smokes. I completed the program 2-3 weeks ago and still haven't had any urges. But, have had a few recurring dreams where I was smoking and was so relieved when I woke to realize it was just a dream. This happened to me a lot during the beginning stages. Keep up the good work buddy.;):D

I think Poutbutton will get it together she seems to be a strong willed Irish Lass!:D;) Right? Poutbutton?:D

DonnieL

Were any of you anywhere near this incident? It looks funny but it had to be terrifying for the people in the market.:eek:
http://video.signonsandiego.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=3899297&item_index=9&all=1&sort=NULL

MonicaBing

DonnieL wrote: »

Were any of you anywhere near this incident? It looks funny but it had to be terrifying for the people in the market.:eek:
http://video.signonsandiego.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=3899297&item_index=9&all=1&sort=NULL

LOL!! Ah god, thats so funny! I was sent that on facebook the other day and i cant believe its made news in the states!!

budfox

How good is champix? 20 years smoking 20 a day and off them two months yesterday...not a bother...well, OK, I have the odd craving here and there but nothing a stick of wrigleys can't sort out....!!!

So if they suit you, i'd keep trying...takes a lot of will power but the benefits are great....!!!! Food is amazing at the moment, no furry tongue (yuk) or gank smell from my clothes....oh..bought a bike so even getting some exercise now!!!

John_Mc

Started taking Champix today so fingers crossed I dont get any side effects!

DonnieL

John,
Good for you! I'm a "recent graduate" of the program and fortunately made it through 12 weeks with no bad side effects with the exception of a few vivid dreams! L.O.L.

With all of us communicating made it a lot easier. Plus educational due to the fact we've learned how Chantix/Champix effects everyone differently. Just remember to take with food and drink a lot of water. Good luck and hang in there and keep us posted on your progress!

John_Mc

DonnieL wrote: »

John,
Good for you! I'm a "recent graduate" of the program and fortunately made it through 12 weeks with no bad side effects with the exception of a few vivid dreams! L.O.L.

With all of us communicating made it a lot easier. Plus educational due to the fact we've learned how Chantix/Champix effects everyone differently. Just remember to take with food and drink a lot of water. Good luck and hang in there and keep us posted on your progress!

Hi Donnie, thanks for the info and encouragement

I havent read through all of this thread yet, but I've read enough to be very enthusiastic and determined about kicking this awful habit.

Will post back with progress and updates. Thanks! :pac:

Poutbutton

Hey guys Hi DonnieL, That video was hilarious, here's the link to how we saw it on the national news station here, its funny cos they put music to it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkV55cqFRc4 The assitant saying "you could Smell the bull" ha ha ah you could only get it in Ireland, it was like an episode of Benny Hill!

PinnyOshea glad to hear of your success & thanks for the support I really want to get over this stupid slip.
Budfox you've done great. I hit a wall but I hope I can get over it.

Welcome onboard JohnMc the thread is a great support, I think I'm only one of two who did'nt last the programme but I aim to start up again starting tomorrow back on the Champix. It does take willpower and guts to stay off the smokes, I did it for 2 months and allowed myself to slip back into smoking 3 or 4 a day.

Well, the April showers are here to annoy the heck out of me grrr, roll on the summer, I'm dreaming of my holidays in July already! Bank Holiday coming up too woohoo! I cant wait til my new quit day, the last time I did it I was on a high for 3 days & got so much done I cant wait to hit that feeling again LOL

DonnieL

Hey Poutbutton, great to hear from you again!! Glad to hear that "you're getting back on the horse"! Enjoyed the link on The Bull in the Market with the Banjo music. It was a little more detailed than what we got here.

Well I think it's time to start a diet thread!!:cool: I've gained about 20 lbs since I got off the smokes!!:eek:

Good luck on getting started again. We know you can do it..!!:D;):D

DonnieL

I'm attaching my GETQUIT support topic for this week. I think it's appropriate being about Bad Moods and Stress.

"Hi DonnieL
You've been avoiding cigarettes for about 4 months now. We hope that makes you feel great. But just in case you have a bad day, we have some great ways to cope with bad moods and stress." (see attached)

Hang in there everyone!;)

DonnieL

Did the last people to leave Ireland remember to turn out the lights?????? Helloooo!:rolleyes::D:rolleyes:

Poutbutton

Ha ha DonnieL it seems we have all abandoned you!
We've just had a bank holiday weekend so lots of people would have been away or simply having a good time but there is this to ponder............

"...Due to the recession.....the light at the end of the tunnel has been switched off.."

I'm still not smoke free :eek: I aim to be by the end of the week
How are you getting along?

DonnieL

I'm doing fine.. Still no urges or cravings. The other night I was BBQing a steak and sat in the patio doorway so I could see the Teley. That's where I spent most of my time when I WAS a smoker..:D Soooo I guess things are progressing.;) Hope you're back on the wagon soon.. Don't push yourself until you know that you're good and ready.:):pac:

Tip

Mind if I join in as I need all the support I can get. Day 3 on Champix feel ok sleeping fine very dry mouth is the only side effect I have - early days.
I really need to kick the cigs as I have a serious health problem. Smoking is not an option for me any longer. Smoking for over 35 yrs and only managed to kick it once for a 1yr with willpower. ( and put on 3 stone in process). Would I be mad to go to hypnotist as well while I on Champix I am desperate to give up and have to within 2 wks. Any advice ????????

DonnieL

Hey Tip! Welcome aboard. My quitting was also a health issue. I've now been without a cigarette since January 12th and loving it. My best advise is to follow directions to the letter, take with food, and drink a lot of water. Chantix/Champix effects everyone differently as we've learned over time on this thread. I fortunately had none of the side effects except for some "good" dreams.;) I've been off the medication for over a month now and am not having any problems staying nicotine free!:D I check in daily to this thread if you ever need to vent!! Best of Luck to you.. Donniel!

John_Mc

Tip wrote: »

Mind if I join in as I need all the support I can get. Day 3 on Champix feel ok sleeping fine very dry mouth is the only side effect I have - early days.
I really need to kick the cigs as I have a serious health problem. Smoking is not an option for me any longer. Smoking for over 35 yrs and only managed to kick it once for a 1yr with willpower. ( and put on 3 stone in process). Would I be mad to go to hypnotist as well while I on Champix I am desperate to give up and have to within 2 wks. Any advice ????????

Give Champix a chance on it's own, but be prepared to use your willpower.

I stopped smoking on day 11 and I'm on day 14 now. Stupidly smoked 2 cigarettes last night when I was ridiculously drunk, but it's been fine other than that.

Sorry to hear about your illness, hope you get better soon and goodluck with kicking the nasty habit.

Tip

Day 4 now taking my 2nd .5mg tablet. No noticable side effects YET !!!!!!!
May I ask a stupid question how much willpower is required ???. I do not possess much. I have set my quit day for next Monday that will be day 11. How will I keep weight down when I quit ????. That will be my biggest prob as last time I turned into a whale, then talked myself that giving up smoking was way easier than dieting. Went back on fags but weight did not go easily I eventually had to starve it off cigs did not help lose it. I foolishly thought I will smoke now for a few mths and weight will diappear- how stupid was I.:o

DonnieL

Hi Tip, Chantix/Champix support groups both advise. "don't dwell on weight gain. Kick the smoking habit first". There will be weight gain due to "nibbling" or "snacking". I'd gained almost 20 lbs by the time I finished but now in the process of losing it.;):rolleyes:

The will power comes from within re-enforced by the reason your quiting. In my case it was a blood disorder and an aneurism. Because of the blood disorder they had to take 500 ccs of blood weekly to lower my red cell count. As soon as I quit smoking the blood count stabilized and they haven't taken blood since. That re-enforced my will power big time.

Now, with me, on the 3rd day of my first week (still smoking) I noticed a diminished desire to light up. So, by day 8, my quit date, I was ready. I haven't lit up since.

I know the program differs here in the States from what it is in Ireland. Here they want your quit specificly on day #8. They're a little more flexible over there.

Good luck and think positive and know that you're doing something good for youself.:D As I said, I check in here every day if you need to vent.

billy2catty

There are many other treatments to stop smoking, Chantix has become my favorite. I'm starting the Chantix today so I would like yall to keep an eye on me and if I start acting more crazy than I already am, please let me know.

tattoo man

im finished with champix now and ill never smoke again,so i cant say the dont do wonders..i smmoked 15 to 20 a day,along with on average 4 joints a day..but i will say at times i did get a bit jekyl and hyde on them,and for the whole time i was on champix i had some serious sleep disorders,like id awake at 7 am get up,go asleep for an hour a 11 am,sllep for an hour at 4 pm,then id be in bed for 10 pm sharp...but i had some savage trippy nights,and nights id get out of bed half asleep and fall into walls and stuff,but have to say over all im feeling great,to those starting id just keep a eye on things,but theres one thing i can defo say,
CHAMPIX HELPED ME KICK THE HABIT:D:D

DonnieL

CONGRATULATIONS!;) tattoo man!!! That's great. A fellow Graduate!:D

Hey billy2catty welcome aboard! I agree there are may ways to quit but this is the ONLY one that worked for me.. I smoked for more years that I want to admit. (I think I did somewhere at the beginning of this trhread):o As I said to Tip, I usually check in to this thread at least once daily, sometimes more, so keep us posted on your progress.;)

tattoo man

DonnieL wrote: »

CONGRATULATIONS!;) tattoo man!!! That's great. A fellow Graduate!:D

Hey billy2catty welcome aboard! I agree there are may ways to quit but this is the ONLY one that worked for me.. I smoked for more years that I want to admit. (I think I did somewhere at the beginning of this trhread):o As I said to Tip, I usually check in to this thread at least once daily, sometimes more, so keep us posted on your progress.;)

cheers donnieL,and im loving it,at the start i thought id miss the buggers,but not in the slightest,i put on in all id say a half stone,so i purchased an ole thread mil,as from tomorrow i work on getting that half stone and more off..

DonnieL

A half a stone you say? WOW, I put on closer to a stone and a half!!:eek::mad:

DonnieL

Hello all. I'm attaching the GETQUIT Topic of the week. Hope it helps re-enforce the old will-power..

Tip

Please help I started day 8 ( first of 1mg) this am- still no difference to my desire to smoke !!!!!!!. I must be a hopeless case. I am still smoking 20 a day as I was before Champix and to be truthful I could smoke more. My quit day is to be day 11 I will need miracle to happen if I am to quit on this day. Reading the forum everyone else cuts down very early on programme. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME ???????.

John_Mc

When I stopped, I didnt get the urge to smoke like I used to. It was more "I should be smoking" rather than "I need a cigarrette!!!".

You'll need willpower to do this. I'm on day 16 now, quit on day 9 and things are going well

Goodluck!

Tip

Thanks John I guess I will just have to delay for my urge to smoke. I thought this was a miracle cure and I hoped needed little effort from me until I quit !!!!!!!!. I so need to quit what is wrong with my head space. I just seem to get very frightened of thought of never smoking again and that I will not be able to do it. I am reading Allen Carrs book at mo and agree with everything he says but cant seem to be able to put it to practice. When I read other posts people are saying by day 3 they had cut smoking by half without effort, that is not happening for me. Having to put effort in at this stage sounds strange to me as if I was to quit cold turkey I would know I have to put in effort. So where is this different ???? Have I to say every time I get urge to smoke to think of something else, eat go for walk will that just prolong my agony.

John_Mc

Tip wrote: »

Thanks John I guess I will just have to delay for my urge to smoke. I thought this was a miracle cure and I hoped needed little effort from me until I quit !!!!!!!!. I so need to quit what is wrong with my head space. I just seem to get very frightened of thought of never smoking again and that I will not be able to do it. I am reading Allen Carrs book at mo and agree with everything he says but cant seem to be able to put it to practice. When I read other posts people are saying by day 3 they had cut smoking by half without effort, that is not happening for me. Having to put effort in at this stage sounds strange to me as if I was to quit cold turkey I would know I have to put in effort. So where is this different ???? Have I to say every time I get urge to smoke to think of something else, eat go for walk will that just prolong my agony.

Reading Allen Carrs book should highlight to you the trap of smoking - I.E making quitting out to be more than it actually is.

I've found Champix to not quite be the miracle I expected it to be, but I'm still off them and my head isn't nearly as wrecked as it should be!

The only times I've found myself thinking about cigarrettes have been times where I'd usually spark one up. Like after dinner, or passing a certain spot on my way to work. The fact that my body wasn't urging the nicotene made dismissing the thought a whole lot easier.

Don't big this quitting thing up too much, which is what it sounds like you're doing to me if I'm honest. You have your quit day set, keep taking the meds and when the day comes - dont smoke. Physically, it won't be as bad as going cold turkey or using nicotene replacements - but you'll still require will power.

Trust me, if I can do it - anyone can

DonnieL

Tip, John_Mc is right. Stop beating up on yourself! Instead of thinking how scary it'll be without smoking, think of WHY your quiting. Also think of other things like not having to sneak out and have a smoke or finding a place to smoke. I could go on and on.

Tip, I've smoked since I was 18 years old. I'm 72 come the 27th of this month. You do the math. If I CAN DO IT, YOU CAN DO IT!
As John_Mc said when your quit date comes, quit. The Champix doesn't make you quit! It helps you quit. I know I couldn't have quit with out it. God only knows I tried several times. Hang in there buddy you can do it!;)